Advertising clock



Nov. 22, 1932. s. WILLENS ADVERTISING CLOCK Filed Aug. 27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov, 22, 1932. w 1 s 1,888,366

ADVERTISING CLOCK Filed Aug. 27, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v,

6607 e fijaiiemsi Patented M22, 1932 1 888366 irsn s'r ATENT oFFicE Gnome-TE wrrrinus, or cnIoAeo; ILLINOIS ADVERTISING CLQGK Application filed August 27, 1932. Serial No. 630,649.

My invention relates in general to adververse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 tising clocks. In my prior Patent No. 1,852,- of Fig. 1; s 869 dated April 5, 1932, I disclose an adver- Fig. 7 is, a rear view .of the front panel tising clock in which a rotatable drum for showing a somewhat modified arrangement bearing advertising matter is disposed under of the luminescent tube i the clock face and both operated in a novel Fig.8 is an enlarged sectional View taken manner to secure a new result. I have found on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 that the advertising value of the device may Figs. 9 and 10 are elevational and sectional be enhanced to some extent by the employviews, respectively, showing one arrangement,

10 ment of novel illuminating and decorating of the drum; and 64) means, the ordinary type of luminescent tube Figs. 11 and 12 are similar views showing being very suitable for this purpose. Tubes a modified arrangement. 4 of this character usually require careful Referring now to the drawings, I show a mounting even when supported on an ordiclock casing comprising a casing body 16 and 5 nary sign base. Mounting problems are a front panel 17 secured thereto by suitable as complicated when such luminescenttubes are means. The front panel is provided with a attached toa device like a clock. The probclock face 18 including the usual hands 19 lems particularly to be considered are to operated by suitable means to show the time 0 avoid any necessity of dismantling the clock of day. The clock casing also is provided or clock case for the purpose of renewing the with a pivotally supported revolvable drum tube, servicing or the like. 21 arranged to support advertising placards The principal object of the present invenin a manner to be disclosed. A portion of 7 tion is the provision of an improved adverthe drum, large enough to display one single tising clock. placard, is visible through an aperture 22' Another object is the utilization with an provided in the panel. A luminescent tube advertising clock of the display and lllllll'll'. 23 is shaped to extend around the clock face nating features inherent in the use of lumiand around the drum display aperture 22 to nescent tubing. i have adecorative effect and alsd to impart a Another object is the provision of imcertain amount of luminosity to the clock proved means for mounting such tubing on "face and advertising placards. i an advertising clock of the character iden- The type ofluminesoent tube employed is tified. not of importance except that I prefer to use Another object is the provision of improvea luminescent tube of the general character of ments in the advertising drum structure of h I ed n on' ubes which are employed a I commercially. The. color ofkthe light pro- Other objects and features of the inventionv ced by the tube may be any suitable color to fit in with. he design and accomplish thewillbe apparent from a consideration of the v V following detailed description taken with the mam PP'P for Whlch For 40 v accompanying drawings, wherein decorative effect, the ordlnaryneon tube hav- 1 is a from perspective View showing ing the usual reddish 'eolor imparted to the the C10 ck of my invention, tube when the neon atoms are ionized, 1s Fi 2 is a sectional view thereof taken on Sans-factory Vanatlonslof the neon tube to thp, fi g 3 produce modified color effects are also proper. 45 Fi 3 is a vertical sectional view taken When lummQslty Is one of the mam features on f line of R however, I may also employ tubes of the Fi s 4 and 5 are arate views of the 'chamctez" to Produce awhdte'hght approach; fron anal I-ld 1 P t t b ing dayllght. The term luminescent tube P ummescen u P employed therefore 1s meant to include any y of these various types of tubes.

such a clock.

50 Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary trans- I provide means for supporting the neon tube on the front panel in such a way as to make it possible to remove or service the neon tube without removing the panel or adapted to be connected to one of two terminals 27 and 28, of a source of power. These terminals 27 and 28 are connected with the secondary of the usual type of step-up transformer (not shown). The cable conductors to which the terminals are connected are brought, into the clock casing in any suitable place where they will not be readily seen as, for example, the rear wallof the casing (not shown). The two portions of the neon tube are connected by a narrowed portion which is disposed in a connecting slot 29 in the front panel, running between the clock face aperture and the drum aperture. In supporting the luminescent tube, the circular portion rests against the face of the dial and the rectangular portion rests against a pair of malleabletabs 31 secured to the rear portion of the panel. A cover plate 32 covers the slot 29 and by hearing against the adjacent portion of the luminescent tube serves to hold the top and bottom portions of the tubes against their respective supports. This plate 32 is readily removable as, for example by screws. The plate may either be an advertising type of plate bearing the advertisers name, in which case it is of ornamental design, or the plate may be stained and finished to have the same effect as the front panel.

I may employ many different types of support for the circular portion of the luminescent tube. However, I prefer an arrangement such as shown with considerable clearness in Figs. 3 and 6. In this form, the clock face is either printed directly onto or adhesively secured to a circular fibre board partition member 33. The clock face iscovered with a disc 34 of relatively thick glass leaving an annular channel 36 between the edge of the panel and the glass disc, the fibre board partition strip 33 forming the bed of the channel. As appears clear then from the drawings, the luminescent tube disposes itself in this channel. This feature not only afi'ords protection to the tube and facilitates the support thereof, but it also causes the light from the tube to flow through the glass from the edges thereof so as to illuminate the glass and to a certain extent the clock face as well. The hands particularly tend to show up more clearly when this arrangement is employed.

When the luminescent tube is shaped as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, it may be removed by removing the plate 32, pulling the lower portion of the tube out a short distance until it clears the panel and then dropping the entire tube down a short distance to permit the electrodes to be passed out through the space between the drum and the panel, the approximate Width of this space being illustrated in Fig. 3. When the luminescent tube terminals have been extracted far enough to reach them, the cables are detached and the tube can then be lifted directly.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8, substantially the same shape is obtained except that the terminals are brought together at another portion of the design, a slot large enough to pass the electrodes being provided in the partition strip 33, as shown in Fig. 8. In this form then, all portions of the tube fall in the same plane with the exception of the electrodes themselves, which are both in a plane at right angles to the plane of the tube itself. In this case, also, the cables are detached when the face plate has been removed and the electrodes withdrawn far enough to reach the cable terminals. In

Figs. 7 and 8, the same reference characters are employed as in the preceding figures, but prefixed with the numeral 1 to indicate the modified form. This use of the reference numerals avoids the necessity of applying them in detail to the modified figures. I also employ an improved drum construction with improved means for mounting advertising placards in position. The drum comprises a cylinder 37 preferably of relatively light weight but durable fibre board and end plates 38, preferably formed of relatively light weight sheet metal, the end plates being pro-- vided with hubs journaled on a shaft 39 supported in the casing. At regular and sepa rated positions on the cylinders 37 I provide strips 41 of fibre board. The strips are held in position along their center lines preferably by means of suitable rivet-s 42. Wire. staples are satisfactory for this purpose. The edges of the strips are crimped as shown at 41a in Fig. 10. whereby the edge of the strip sets up a slight distance to facilitate insertion of the paper placard 43 and whereby the strip will also continue to bear against the edge of the placard 43 so as to hold it in position.

As to holding the drum ends and cylinder 37 together, I prefer asimple expedient, as shown, in which metal tabs 44 are struck from material of the end plates and are inserted through apertures formed in the cylinder and bent over as the drawings show. To provide greater strength, these tabs extend through the strips 41.

In the form shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the cylinder 137 is folded to provide a, plurality of ledges 137 a under which the advertising placards 143 extend. In other respects, however, the drum may be constructed substantially the same as'the drum described in connection with the preceding figures.

aperture, a luminescent tube disposed around each of the two apertures and having a relatively narrow portion extending between the portions around the two apertures, whereby a single tube is effective to frame both apertures, said tube having electrodes extending through a third small aperture to the inside of the casing so as to be concealed, and means for supporting said tube.

2. An advertising clock as defined in claim 1, including a relatively heavy glass face set over the dial and spaced from the front panel so as to leave an annular channel, the portion of the tube around the dial being disposed in said annular channel.

3. advertising clock as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the tube includes a removable plate secured to the front panel over-said small aperture. I

4. In an advertising clock, a clock casing having a front panel provided with a pair of apertures and a relatively small connecting aperture between said two apertures, a clock aperture, a luminescent tube having a portion disposed in said channel, a portion disposed around the second aperture and a connecting portion dis osed in said narrow connecting aperture, t e luminescent tube having electrodes disposed within the casing, and

means for supporting the luminescent tube on said pane 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 including formable stop members secured on the back side ofthe panel and adapted to engage the portion of the tube surrounding the second aperture whereby to assist in supporting the tube on the panel.

' 9. The combination defined in claim 7,

wherein said means for supporting the tube includes a plate fastened to the front panel over said connecting aperture.

10. The combination defined in claim 7, wherein said means for supporting the tube includes a plate fastened to the front panel over said connecting aperture, and means se cured to the back of the panel and making contact with the portion of the tube extendingaround the second mentioned aperture.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13 day of August, 1932.

" GEORGE WILLENS.

face in one of said apertures, a rotatable drum disposed within the casing and adapted to be seen through the second aperture, a

' luminescent tube shaped'to surround the two apertures and having a narrowed portion extending through said connecting aperture, electrodes on the ends of the luminescent tube, cables within the casing adapted to be connected to said electrodes, and means for supporting the tube on said front panel.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein the ends of the tubes and electrodes are disposed near said connecting aperture,

whereby the tube may be removed without removing the panel by slipping said electrodes through the main drum aperture.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4,

wherein the means for supporting the tube includes a face plate secured to the panel over said connecting aperture. 7. In an advertising clock, a casing havlng a front panel provided with a pair of apertures connected by a relatively narrow connecting aperture, a partition member secured to the back of the panel so as substantially to close one of said apertures, a. clock face supported'on said partition member, a glass disc also supported on the partition member and spacedaway from the panel so I as to leave achannel between the disc and panel, means within the casing for displaying advertising matter through the second 

